1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 328 The Sweetest Art Revolution of the 20th Century

Ronan, attending a high-end art exhibition for the first time, felt that this place was not much more sophisticated than the exhibition held by Mr. Rodrigo, and in some places it was not even as 'professional' as the one he attended last time.

Ronan was notified in advance that he would be given a brief introduction in front of his artwork at 11 a.m., at which time he would be introduced to the leaders of the organizers.

Unexpectedly, I was asked to introduce the works immediately upon arriving at the Gold Center sculpture exhibition, even though it was already 11 o'clock.

The contact person even said in a very anxious tone:
"Why are you so late? A VIP has been waiting in front of the artwork for a long time. Let's hurry over, your presentation time needs to be moved up."

As a skilled art dealer, Cotillard's focus is on other areas:

Will the organizers' leaders also be going?

It would be best if leaders from the organizing committee were present when Ronan made his appearance, as this would highlight his importance.

He himself said that without someone to "hold the fort" behind him, the collectors would seem unimportant and thus affect their enthusiasm.

Don't forget that later this week, Lourmaran artists will be attending auctions, and Ronan's performance could very well influence Zoe and Batty.

Lourmarin has quietly appeared on the stage of the Provençal art world, and this week countless eyes will be watching the words and deeds of these three people and their works. There is no room for carelessness.

The contact person moved quickly:
"The leaders went to greet him early on. He was a distinguished guest who had come from afar, and everyone's schedules were adjusted."

“Okay.” Codia nodded in relief.

She leaned closer to Ronan and said cautiously:

"If the leaders of the organizers can change their dates, they must be very important guests. You need to be enthusiastic and make sure they remember you."

On opening day, the organizers will definitely be the busiest people.

If someone is willing to change their schedule for another person, it means that person is important enough.

Ronan looked left and right like a curious child, responding to Cotillard with little emotional fluctuation:
"Ok."

Fearing Ronan wasn't paying enough attention, Cotillard gave him a hard slap on the arm:
"In the Provençal art world, the most important things are reputation and fame. You already have fame, but what you lack now is reputation. The appreciation of one distinguished guest is worth more than countless reputations. You must seize this opportunity!"

Ronan rubbed his arm and said:
"But is that something that enthusiasm can solve? I can't control the guests' attitudes."

Cotillard said seriously:
"In short, you need to show some enthusiasm first!!"

The host led Ronan and Cotillard to the exhibition hall where the artwork was located.

Ronan, who had been silently observing the journey, already showed a look of delight.

The sculpture exhibition at the Gold Center attracted significantly more visitors than other exhibitions, indicating that it is quite popular.

He'll give a proper introduction later.

That was a draft he had prepared for several days.

From afar, Cotillard saw Marecchael chatting and laughing with an elderly man with white hair, who, like a loving mother, reminded Ronan:
"That white-haired gentleman must be the guest who has come from afar. Go ahead, be enthusiastic, and greet everyone."

In fact, Cotillard knew very well that Ronan was not a warm person, at least not the kind of 'outgoing' enthusiasm that people from Provence have for strangers, which is why she kept reminding him.

But she watched as Ronan's smile grew wider and wider, and his pace quickened.

"Has it finally clicked?" Godia muttered to himself.

Marecchall didn't recognize Ronan, but he did recognize Cotillard, who was standing behind Ronan.

The aloof lady with the afro left a deep impression on him.

Seeing a young man smiling and walking towards them in front of her, Marecchal subtly turned his body to face this person he was meeting for the first time, but who appeared in his life every day.

"So young," Marecchal muttered to himself.

Given Ronan's immense contribution to the exhibition's traffic, and considering the great interest shown by the Royal Academy's faculty and students in this dessert piece, Marecchar proactively introduced it to Professor Goldman:
"This is Ronan, the author of 'The Lovebirds'."

But when he turned around, he found that Professor Goldman had already left and seemed to have walked toward Ronan before he introduced him.

"Professor Goldman, you're in Provence again," Ronan greeted him, unable to hide his excitement.

This old man was Zoe's true 'talent scout'; it was his few comments that brought Zoe to the attention of others for the first time, which led to the stories that followed.

Although their last contact was brief, Ronan wasn't sure if the other person remembered him but still took the initiative to greet him.

This is a sign of respect for Professor Goldman!
Professor Goldman's face showed obvious contradiction and hesitation. He narrowed his eyes and pointed at Ronan, saying:
“We’ve definitely met before, but I don’t remember where we met.”

He remembered Ronan's yellow-skinned face.

Ronan briefly described how they met at the Aix-en-Provence art fair six months earlier, leaving the onlookers completely confused.

What kind of tool, and what kind of animal?

But Goldman had already remembered, and he said to Alder beside him:

"What a coincidence! We had just mentioned that girl and those animal wood carvings when the witness appeared."

Ronan said with a bright smile:

"The girl you mentioned is now my girlfriend."

Alder was already shocked that the artist who created 'Lovebirds' had met them before, and he was even more shocked when he heard Ronan's words.

He forgot there were students behind him and asked gossipily:
"Was the 'Lovebird' based on that female artist?"

At this moment, everyone gathered around was waiting for Ronan to tell the story behind the creation of 'Lovebird'.

The interactions between the two professors and Ronan made everyone even more curious about the story.

What? This love story actually has witnesses?
And they were two highly respected professors from the Royal Academy of Arts?!
Cotillard looked at the reactions of the visitors around him, his mouth practically stretched to his ears in a wide grin.

Ronan's appearance was absolutely perfect!
Not only did it gain the endorsement of two renowned professors in the art world, publicly making up for its shortcomings, but it also raised the expectations for the work even higher!
Marechal was equally delighted and excited.

It turns out that Ronan did have an artistic background.

Regardless of what they were talking about, the fact that he could talk for so long with two professors from the Royal College of Art is enough to prove his qualifications.

How many people present could have such a pleasant and engaging conversation with Professor Goldman?

Marechal previously used the gimmick of being a 'representative of emerging artists in Provence' to attract attention and generate traffic.

He now believes that Ronan is absolutely qualified to sit in this seat.

Is there any new artist who can rival Ronan?

In terms of popularity, Ronan is far ahead of the competition, surpassing many well-known artists.

In terms of skill, Ronan is not bad, and his desserts are also a rare find.

In terms of background, both Professor Goldman and himself can endorse Ronan.

And then there's Normand, the curator who held Ronan in such high regard; he would certainly be very willing to help Ronan establish himself in the Provençal art world.

This big shot is eyeing "Lovebirds" covetously. Ronan's popularity will increase, and the value of his works will rise accordingly.

So, what is Ronan still missing?
He has everything he needs!

Since that's the case, let's solidify this title today!
The news of the emergence of a new superstar in the Provençal art world might just be a major blow to the British people's popularity!

Having made this decision, Mareccher apologetically interrupted Ronan and the two professors' reminiscing, and addressed the hundreds of tourists around him in a firm and resonant voice:
"Distinguished guests, the artwork presented to us today is called 'Lovebird.' It may not look ostentatious, but it contains profound artistic ingenuity. I would like to ask you to give me a few minutes to introduce this special work to you."

Simmons, who was following behind Marecchall, widened his eyes instantly.

Isn't the introduction of artworks supposed to be done by the artist?

How did Marecchal steal Ronan's job?
It's important to understand that in such events, Marecchall's position is equivalent to that of a museum director.

The curator personally explains the artworks?
this--

However, Simmons and the other leaders of the central sculpture exhibition quickly understood Marecchall's intention. Gabriel and Marini, who had been chatting quietly in the crowd, simultaneously fell silent.

In France, art is an everyday thing.

Those who frequently visit art exhibitions know very well that once the curator personally explains the work, it means that the work is of extraordinary significance—either it is worth a fortune or it has a very important hidden meaning.

They looked at Ronan's work with solemn expressions.

Is there something in this that they didn't understand?

Next to an artwork not far from the 'Lovebirds'.

Surrounded by the crowd, Ms. Sanson suddenly stopped talking and looked in the direction where Marechal was speaking.

As a prominent collector in Provence, Sanson heard that Marechal was hailed as the future "pillar" of the Provençal art world and was one of several candidates who might succeed him as president of the Provence Art Association in a few years.

Entrusting him with the most important central sculpture exhibition this time has a significant meaning of 'experience'.

The reason why he personally endorsed a particular work at such an important exhibition for him is something worth pondering.

Women tend to be more thoughtful.

Based on the discussion at the gathering about who represents the emerging artists in the Provençal art scene, countless possibilities immediately flooded her mind:

"Marichar has placed his bets on Ronan?"

"Do they believe the future of the Provençal art world lies in this artist, and therefore want to personally promote him to gain an advantage in future competition?"

"Did he obtain some information that I don't know about?"

Ms. Sanson interrupted the art consultant's introduction, pointing in the direction of Ronan's works and saying:

"I want to go back and listen to it."

Seeing that everyone's attention was completely drawn, Mareccher began his explanation:

"This work is by Ronan, an artist from Lourmaran. Titled 'Longing,' it uses traditional carving techniques to sculpt bean curd into a delicate artistic form."

The artwork's form and symbolism strictly adhere to the core theme of this event—nature. Spring, summer, autumn, and winter—we cycle through the seasons bestowed by nature, and we are surrounded by the bird's nest built by our loved ones.

Ronan frowned as he listened.

Wow, this leader is amazing!

Was this script prepared in advance, or was it improvised on the spot?
This is far superior to the draft that Ronan prepared over several days!
Simmons covered his mouth and whispered to his assistant:
"Find out which of the works in this exhibition these sentences come from and remember to replace them."

"Okay." The assistant nodded in agreement.

Marechar's voice still echoed in the stadium:
Why is it considered precious?

In an era where installation art is dominated by traditional materials, 'Lovebirds' challenges tradition with new materials: art doesn't have to be distant; art can be accessible to everyone—some people may never have encountered artworks made from flowers, leaves, soil, pine cones, stones, and twigs, but they have certainly been exposed to desserts.

As soon as these words came out, the whole place was in an uproar.

Installation art is an art form that creates an immersive experience by combining and arranging elements such as objects, materials, sounds, and images in a specific space.

And the representative figure of this art is Andy Goldsworth, who likes to create outdoors!

And right now, a few hundred meters away, Andy Goldsworth is creating artwork with flowers, leaves, soil, pine cones, stones, and twigs!

The way everyone looked at the 'lovebird' changed completely.

The significance of this work lies in its confrontation with traditional installation art.
Respond to the friendly, inquisitive, or encouraging glances from those around you.

Ronan was sweating profusely.

No, no, no, I never wanted to fight against anyone!

This gentleman has overinterpreted it!
But Marecchall didn't give Ronan a chance to explain and continued:
"The preciousness of dessert art lies in the fact that it simultaneously carries visual beauty and the way of taste. 'Lovebird' is not just a sculpture, but also a subversive artistic declaration. This art form is unique in Provence! Has anyone seen another artwork created with desserts?"

Ah, I remember now, there is indeed a second one, and it was also created by Ronan!

Several rounds of applause spontaneously broke out at the scene, and soon more and more people joined in.

Amidst the applause, Mareczer turned to look at Ronan:

"And our outstanding artist, Mr. Ronan, has transformed 'ephemeral' beauty into 'eternal' beauty this time, which is even more rare in contemporary art! I propose that we all applaud and pay tribute to our artist!"

Thunderous applause erupted, and Ronan bowed repeatedly to those around him, accepting this honor that did not rightfully belong to him.

He prayed aloud in his heart, "Sir, please stop talking!"

This is blatant flattery!

While continuing to lead the applause, Marechar said in a loud voice:
"Friends, the times have never stopped moving forward, and we also need brave artists to stand up and promote the progress of art. Therefore, the Central Sculpture Exhibition has chosen to stand up for this innovative art form and encourage artists to try it bravely."

At the same time, the 'Lovebird' also subtly touched upon the theme of this event: nature is beautiful, but it can also be cruel; great works of art can be visually stunning, but they can also warm the heart. Just like Ronan used nature to evoke his longing for his other half.

Mr. Ronan, please step forward and bravely tell everyone the name of the girl who brings you warmth through all four seasons, inspires you, and whom you are willing to faithfully protect!

Amidst screams, applause, and whistles, Ronan finally got a rare opportunity to speak.

To drown out the noise, Ronan shouted at the top of his lungs:

"My girlfriend is also an artist. She specializes in creating works based on animals and has been involved in recent art events. Her name is Zoe!!"

The young man's exhausted speech further confirmed their sweet love.

The atmosphere became even more lively, as if a marriage proposal were taking place.

But several people at the scene looked as shocked as if they had been struck by lightning.

Ms. Sanson's eyes widened, and countless thoughts rushed through her mind:

"Marichar's move was too clever. He must have known about this in advance and deliberately created this opportunity to announce it."

"Bet on Ronan is betting on Zoe; these two are now the future of Provence!"

“I must acquire this work; it is of extraordinary significance and may be a testament to the new era.”

It felt like Rodrigo's mouth was stuffed with a whole apple.

what?
Is Ronan's girlfriend Zoe, another emerging artist?
That's amazing! That's fantastic!

The commercial value of 'Lovebirds' will increase exponentially; it's a work endorsed by two popular artists.

Having spent almost a month in Gold, Rodrigo knew perfectly well that Zoe was also a popular artist, only her brilliance had been overshadowed by Ronan.

Many prominent collectors are staunch supporters of Zoe, such as Miss Patricia, Thuram's daughter.

Rodrigo firmly believes that after today, Ronan and Zoe will both drop the word 'new' before their names, and perhaps gain the word 'famous' instead.

"Moreover, Ronan is very good at creating hype. He created this work and waited until this moment to reveal who his girlfriend is, just for this purpose."

A fierce fire burned in Rodrigo's eyes.

He had to win this project, and he also had to secure Ronan as an ally!
The most outrageous person on site was Marecchall.

As one of the few candidates who may succeed the president of the Provence Art Association in a few years, his greatest achievement this time is not to organize a successful sculpture exhibition at the Gold Centre, but to successfully thwart Andy Goldsworth!

He believed he had succeeded.

He just did all that to create a supernova in the Provençal art world, but now he's succeeded in creating two. And these two stars are a rather controversial couple!

Gold is about to completely lose his mind!!
Like Ronan, he shouted hysterically:
"Congratulations to you all, and to myself! We are witnessing the sweetest art revolution of the 20th century!!"

(End of this chapter)